A recipe for Cherry Blossom Shortbread Cookies! These light sakura cookies are studded with cherry blossoms for a perfect addition to teatime.
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My mother-in-law gave me a set of cherry blossom cookie stamps for Christmas and I put them to use with these Cherry Blossom Shortbread Cookies.
They are such a fun springtime treat with only a few ingredients. Start by briefly soaking salt pickled cherry blossoms in water, then finely chop and mix into a buttery shortbread dough.
Refrigerate for an hour to set, then roll the dough out into a sheet and cut into desired shapes (such as cherry blossoms).
After another short rest in the refrigerator, bake the cookies just until lightly golden around the edges.
Allow to cool before storing in an airtight container for up to three days. I enjoyed them simply alongside a cup of tea.
Salt Pickled Cherry Blossoms
Salt Pickled Cherry Blossoms (桜の塩漬け, Sakura no Shiozuke) are the edible flowers that have been preserved in salt and ume plum vinegar to retain the delicate shape and color.
I briefly soaked the cherry blossoms in water to help remove excess salt and open up the blossoms a bit.
After soaking, drain the blossoms and pat lightly with paper towels to remove moisture. There will still be a slight saltiness to the flowers that will help balance the sweetness of the shortbread.
For those in the DC area, I have been able to find salted cherry blossoms at Maruichi Japanese Grocery in Rockville, Maryland. While living in Los Angeles, I would usually get them at the Rolling Hills Nijiya Market in Torrance. They can also often be found online on websites selling Japanese pantry staples.
A Few Cherry Blossom Shortbread Tips
Do not pack in the flour when measuring or you may end up with too much. To measure flour, gently spoon it into the measuring cup and level with a knife without pressing down. The most accurate way to measure is by weight.
If the dough is too sticky to handle, add just enough flour for it to become manageable. Be careful not to add too much to keep the texture light.
I mixed a little cornstarch into the flour to help add to the soft and tender texture. If you want to cookies more crumbly, omit and adjust with flour as needed.
The amount of cookies and cooking time for the shortbread depends on the size of the cookie cutters used. If you don’t want to use cookie cutters, you can roll the dough into a log and slice into 1/3 inch (8 millimeter) thick rounds after it is well-chilled.
After shaping and stamping, allow the assembled cookies to chill briefly in the refrigerator on the baking sheet for about 15 minutes before placing in the oven. This will help them hold their shape.
Bake the cookies just until lightly golden around the edges. Allow to rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before removing. They will be delicate while still warm.
I kept the Cherry Blossom Shortbread Cookies simple with a light sprinkling of granulated sugar to show off the stamped sakura design. If desired, you could also decorate the tops with additional salted cherry blossoms (set aside the best looking ones) or a sweet glaze.
Looking for more springtime recipes?
Try my:
Cherry Blossom Shortbread Cookies Recipe
Adapted from Chopstick Chronicles
Cherry Blossom Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ounce (28 grams) salt pickled cherry blossoms
- 1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (90 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (35 grams) cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- Granulated sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Place the salt pickled cherry blossoms in a bowl of cold water and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Drain the cherry blossoms gently and pat lightly with a towel to remove any excess water.
- Finely chop the cherry blossoms and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the chopped cherry blossoms and vanilla extract.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, and salt. Mix into the butter just until combined.
- Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until well chilled and firm, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a sheet 1/3 inch (8 millimeters) thick.
- Cut the dough into shapes using desired cookie cutters. Transfer to prepared baking sheets 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) apart.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar over the tops of the cookies, if desired.
- Place the assembled cooking on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the refrigerator and bake in preheated oven until the bottoms of the cookies are lightly golden, 12-15 minutes depending on the size of the cookies. If the cooking is uneven, switch and rotate the baking sheets halfway through the time.
- Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
- Store the Cherry Blossom Shortbread Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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